Schools Need `Outcomes,' Freedom

January 08, 1993|The Morning Call

To the Editor:

I recently wrote my representative and senator in the Commonwealth's legislature urging them to support what is commonly called "Outcomes Based Education," or more precisely, sections 5.201 and 5.202 of the state Board of Education proposed regulations. The essence of that concern is extracted below:

Though several of these proposals may be rather idealistic, some quite difficult to measure, and a few with occasional imperfections, I urge support of these proposals. To not support them or to cast a negative vote will most assuredly allow two radical religious right-wing groups (Citizens for Excellence in Education and the National Association of Christian Educators) to move one step closer to thought control in our public schools. How Pennsylvania goes on this watershed issue will send critical signals across the United States.

I, for one, am not about to lie down and permit fanatical right-wing religious groups to dictate to me, my children, and my community what will be and what cannot be taught, read, and thought about in our public schools. I devoted more than 29 years to nurturing the process of free and open inquiry at the college and university level, and I want to protect that freedom of inquiry at all levels. Free inquiry of the human mind is too sacred an endeavor to leave in the hands of those who are convinced that they possess the only true vision of God or some other Supreme Being.